Letter and like file.



A. 1). KLABBR. LETTER AND LIKE FILE. APPLICATION FILED MABJI, 1911.

1,003,470. Patented Sept. 19,19111 my: I

5 canon LETTER AND LIKE FILE.

21M}, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. ill, Till-ll,

Application filed March 11, 1911. fierial No, 813,797.

ingr at Loud on, England, have invented. new i useful improvements in Letter and like Files, of which the following is a speciiilt, o1.

iis invention relates to a file for letters on pondence or other papers, and it has for object to provide a tile having the dvantage of combining numerical classification with alphabetical classification thereby doing away *ith an index book, or of learns taking; the place of said index boolr, he file itself tormin the index. The combined employment or alphabetical. and numerical. indicators moreover permits a Very pid classification of the papers in the 7 1'5 and. the retiu'n ot the latter after i their places, at the same time renderit sy to find a folder which has been u put away. A ii c in accordance ill this invention permits of dividing the corrcspondence or other papers among as la number of folders as may be desired, e'ii requiring more than two designs ct printing for all these folders, or at most a third design for those folders which in *"l c dillercnt divisions of the alphabet are 1 nod to contain the papers relating to -;h' "'2 These above results are obby means of:-

iieavcs of cardboard, hereafter referred guides, having a printed. heading on an sc-clension or tab, a division of the alphabet ("or instance "Ally-AL or AM AZ, etc.) with number in order (for instance 1, 52 etc.) and below these inscriptions some numbered lines for Writing the names of clients in this divisionv of the alphabet, to

each designed to of a special cliin front on the the numbers, one the one aliect on the guide of the r it belongs, all the folders i being placed in their d the guide,

of folders for sun.

ing the i division to I of 1 m 5 2 'l dries, VlZ., one for each division placed immediately behind the guide. The top tab of the folder bears the number of the olivision.

F1 om the fore 'oing it will be understood that. nothing is easier than to find a folder in a lilo of this character as by looking at the guide of the division desired for the number of the folder, then taking from this division the folder, the tab of which. bears the said number, or it it is a question of a client under the category Sundries by taking the folderSundries immediately placed behind the guide. It will also be understood, therefore, that there is no ditliculty in replacing this folder and that if by mistake it not put back in its correct position, it is not necessary to remove all the folders in order to find it again, as with the ordinary systems of classification, but only to compare those which bear the same number on the signal. If there is a No. 12 for instance, it will suliice to verify the folders marked 12 until it is found, and all the numbers 12 are in the same line the one behind the other,

In order that the invention may be the better understood, drawings are appended illustrating the file and certain details of construction.

Figure 1- is a perspective view representing only the first portion of it. It will be understood that the series of guides and folders continue the same to the end of the alphabet. Fig. 2 shows the two kinds of special folders, which only ditl'er by the numbers printed on their tabs, a, the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, in one case and the num] crs 6, 7, 8, 9 and 0 in the other, which permit of making any number by cutting on all the tabs except one, and taking the number printed on this remaining tab the unit number, before which, if necessary, the number to form the tens can be added by hand. Figs. 3 and i show in perspective, with the parts in different positions, binding folders which can be advantageolisly employed instead of the simple folders for the clients Whose correspondence is volu ruinous,

in Fig 1, a, (1 a incicate the cardliioard leaves called guides each serving as an index for the folders belonging to the divisions of the alphabet, The number-oi these divisions would of course be varied, depending upon the total number of papers to be classified. A tab or extension is arranged on the upper edge of each guide, at the left for the guides of uneven row, and a little more to the right for those of even row, so as to render them more visible and more easy of access; the said tab has a printed indication of the division of the alphabet,

and also the number in order of rotation of this division. On the largest portion 6 of the height of the sheet are drawn a series of numbered lines reserved for the names and addresses of the clients, included in the division; the inscription of the name of each client on the tabs thus determines his numberof classification.

cindicates a series of divisions reserved for inscribing the transfers, 2'. e. for stating that. the correspondence of this or that client has been removed from the file on one or more'occasions in order to be arranged in a box,- bearing the same divisional number and the same number in order of rotation. In this case the client is simply indicated by his number in order of rotation and by the side of this number the dates are inscribed between which the transferred correspondence takes place.

d, d 0?, indicate the folders Sundries in each of which the correspondence of the clients coming into each alphabetical division and who have not an individual folder is classified. The division is printed, also its number and the Word Sundries on the edge of the interior face of one of the leaves of the folder, which edge projects a little beyond the other leaf, moreover the number of the division is repeated ona tab which projects beyond the top of the folders.

The individual folders e, e, e e e (2 have also one of their leaves projecting beyond the other, and on this projecting part is inscribed the number of the alphabetical division and also the name and ad dress of-the client; in addition the number of the division is inscribed on the projecting tab. This tab is one of thosewith which the folder had been provided by the manufacturer (see Fig. 2) and which alone has been left extant. As it already bears the desired unit number it is only necessary. to add the tens number, as can be seen for instance on the folders 10 and 11 of the division 2 in Fig. l

The tabs 1, 6, 11, 16, etc. should of course be arranged one behind the other similarly to the tabs 2, 7, 12, 17 etc., 5, 10, 15, 20, etc.,

but as the thickness of 5 folders separates them, they are quite visible and easily accessible." On the other hand the tabs of the guides, as also those of the folders Sundries are separated by all the folders of one division. 1

The binder folder shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is only given as an example of a device" -ulate and the elements of which it is composed occupy little space. It is similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2 with numbered tabs, but on one of its leaves near to the back a strong strip of paper f is fixed at the two ends by means of the metal clips which also secure the ribbons h, h, which will now be described. At or near the middle, the strip f is provided with two holes through whichpass two limbs i, 2' formed at the extremities of a flexible brass band. On these limbs a strip of tiny' is laid, which is provided with an elongated opening '5 The edges of the strip are turned over inward in order to form the grooves in which runners is is can slide. The said runners form the ends of the above ment'rcifed ribbons h k secured at their other ends to the folder, the runners in question being provided for the purpose of covering the flexible limbs i, 5 after they have been bent outward, and thus prevent them from being re-raised. In Fig. 4 the runner k is represented as covering entirely the limb 2',

While the runner 7: is supposed not to have been pushed to the bottom of the slot in order to hold the point, so that the ribbon [L1 is still not quite tight.

When a letter has to be filed in a folder of this kind, the runners la and is are drawn outward sufiioiently to uncover the limbs i and 2 which limbs are then raised from the hole in the rule 7'; after which the letter to be filed is placed on the limbs, then the strip j is next replaced and the limbs i t are turned down, and they are retained in place by slipping the runners 7c is over them (see Fig. 4).

It is obvious that any inscriptions and notes may be written-0n the inside and outside of all the folders but this forms no part of the invention.

Obviously the number of tabs at the head of the sheets may be increased beyond those shown and described and further in order to facilitate the removal of such as are not required, I may perforate, indent or otherwise weaken'the'base of the tabs.

In order to strengthen the tabs in use against wear, gummed or other adhesive strips may be provided which may be applied to the backs of the tabs and the sheets to reinforce said tabs.

Claims.

1. A correspondence or like file having both numerical and alphabetical indexes and comprising an outer transfer sheet having numbered lines thereon and a tab bearing an alphabetical and an arithmetical sign, a sundries folder having a tab which also bears an arithmetical sign, and folders for the correspondence or the like having tabs bearing numerical signs said tabs being arranged at different points on the top of the folders so that they are readily visible when the parts are assembled.

2. A correspondence or like file having both numerical and alphabetical indexes and comprising an outer transfer sheet having numbered lines thereon and a'tab bearing an alphabetical and an arithmetical sign, a sundries folder .iving a tab which also bears an arithmetical sign, and folders for the correspondence or the like having tabs bearing numerical signs said tabs being arranged at different points on the top of the folders so that they are readily visible When the parts are assembled and means within said folders for securing the correspondence therein.

3. A correspondence or like file having both numerical and alphabetical indexes and comprising an outer transfer sheet having numbered lines thereon and a tab bearing an alphabetical and an arithmetical sign, a sundries folder having a tab whlch also bears an arithmeticalsign, and folders for the correspondence or the like having tabs bearing numerical si s, said tabs being arranged at different polnts on the top of the folders so that they are readily visible when the parts are assembled and means Within said folders for securing the correspondence therein comprising a strip secured Within the folder, perforations in the strip, a flexible body disposed beneath the strip and having hmbs pro ecting through the perforations, tapes connected to the strip at each end, metal plates upon the ends of the tapes, a slotted metal plate through which the aforesaid limbs pass and provided.

with slides engaging the plates upon the tapes. i

In testimony whereof I have signed 'my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

AUeUs'rUs DAVID KLABER. Witnesses:

E. COURTNEY WALKER, M. AULIFF. 

